Adjustable can top perforator



Jan- 9, 1962 H. w. MILLER 3,015,886

ADJUSTABLE CAN TOP PERFORATOR Filed May 5, 1981 United States Patent O 3,015,886 ADJUSTABLE CAN TOP PERFORATOR Henry W. Miller, Carpenters Home, P.O. Box 80, Lakeland, Fla., assignor of one-half to J. H. P. Brown, Lakeland, Fla.

Filed May 5, 1961, Ser. No. 107,962 7 Claims. (Cl. 30-6.1)

This invention relates to improvements in lever-operated can openers, and more particularly to a novel and improved lever-operated can top perforator which is adjustable to accommodate cans of different heghts.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a more practical, more rugged, and more efficient device of the kind indicated which is suitable for commercial use, as in bars, restaurants, and hotels, and which can be more easily and quickly adjusted to accommodate cans of maximum height, of medium height, and of minimum height, such as beer cans and the like.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a device of the character indicated above, wherein the operating lever is spring retracted after a can perforating operation, and Wherein the spring is protectively enclosed and concea'led, within a hollow standard on which the lever is pivoted.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a simpler device of the Character indicated above, which is composed of a small number of simple and easily assembled parts, and which can be made in serviceable and well-finished forms, at relatively low cost.

Other important objects and advantageous features of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein, for purposes of illustration only, a specific form of the invention is set forth in detail.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of a device of the invention, showing a medium height can supported on the base thereof, on a shim block;

FIGURE 2 is a front sectional view taken on the line 2- 2 of FIGURE l with the shim block, in phantom lines, tilted out of operative position on the base;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary Vertical longitudinal section taken on the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2, and showing the lever adjusted on the standard and the shim block in place, to accommodate a minimum height can; and,

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary horizontal section taken on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 3.

Referring in detail to the drawings, wherein like numerals designate like parts throughout the several views, the illustrated can perforator comprises a horizontal, flat, preferably elongated and rectangular base plate 10, which is wider than the cans to be perforated. At one end, the base plate has centered thereon an upstanding rectangular fixed boss 12, over which is engaged the lower end of a perpendicular rectangular tubular standard 14. A bolt 16 extends, crosswise of the base plate 10, through the side walls 18 of the standard 14, and the boss 12, and fixes the standard on the base plate with its lower end bearing upon the base. The standard 14 can be closed, at its upper end, or open, as shown.

The standard 14 has a front Wall 20 which is imperforate, except for a vertically elongated opening 22, which reaches to the side walls 18 and upwardly from its lower end 24, which is located on a level slightly below the top of a can of medium heght to be accommodated by the device, whereat the forward edges of the side walls 18 are provided with notches 26, located above vand near to the lower end 24, as shown in FIGURE 3, for receiving the outstanding head 28 of a can.

The standard 14 has a rear wall 30 which is formed with a vertically elongated opening 32, which extends be- 3,015,886 Patented Jan. 9, 1962 iCC tween the side walls 18, has a lower end 34, spaced below the lower end 24 of the front wall opening 22, and an upper end 36, which is spaced below the upper end 38 of the front wall opening. In the region of the rear wall opening 32, the rear edges of the standard side walls 18 are formed with vertically elongated recesses 40, whose forward edges 42 are forwardly offset from the rear wall 30 of the standard 14. Upper rounded downwardly fac- =ing notches 44 are provided in the upper ends of the recesses 40, and lower downwardly facing notches 46, spaced below the upper notches 44, are formed in the lower ends of triangular projections 48 from the edges 42 of the recesses 40. The hypotenuse edges 50 of the projections 48 are convexly curved, and lower portions 52 of the forward edge 42 are similarly convexly curved. An access plate 54 is provided for covering the rear wall opening 32, which has upper and lower portions 56 and 58, respectively, secured, as by means of screws 60, to t'he exterior of the rear wall 30, above and below the opening 32. The access plate 54 has a central rearwardly olfset portion 62, covering the opening 32, which provides additional clearance, within the standard 14, in the region of the opening 32.

The device further comprises an elongated, generally horizontal flat bar Operating lever 64 which has a rear end portion 66 extending rearwardly through the front wall opening 22 of the standard 14. The rear end portion 66 terminates, at its rear end, in a downwardly and rearwardly angled upper edge portion 68, which terminates, at its lower end, at the upper end of a rearwardly extendin'g ear 70, which is at the lower edge 72 of the lever 64. A transverse pivot pin 74 extends fixedly through the ear 70, to opposite sides thereof, and, as shown in FIGURE 4, preferably slightly beyond the standard side walls 18, and its ends 76 are positioned in the recesses 40 in the side Walls.

The device 64is elevated to inoperative position, from a depressed operative position, when released, by a vert-ical contractile coil spring 78, which, at its upper end, is suitably secured to a cross pin 80, extending between and secured to the standard side walls 18, at the upper end of the standard 14, and has a hook 81 on its lower end, which is suitably secured, as indicated at 82, to the level portion 66, at the upper edge 84 of the lever, within the standard, at a location spaced forwardly from the transverse pivot pin 74.

A transverse stop pin 86 extends fixedly through the lever 64, at its upper edge 84, at a location, spaced forwardly from the standard 14, such that, in the elevated position of the lever 64, the stop pin 86 bears against the forward surface of the standard front wall 20, as shown in FIGURES 1 and 3.

At a location displaced slightly rearwardly of the stop pin 86, a pivot pin 88 extends through the lever 64, at its lower edge 72, and provides pivotal mounting for a lange free-swinging gravity positioned rear can top punch 90.

The punch 90 comprises a solid rectangular cross section block 92 which is wider than the standard front Wall opening 22, as shown in FIGURE 4, and has sides 94 which taper down to a longitudinally disposed lower edge 96, and ends 98 and 100, which curve downwardly and toward each other, and which meet related ends of the edge 96. The punch 90 has a fiat top 102 having a rear corner 104 which is adapted, at times, to engage in a V-shaped notch 106, provided in the lower edge 72 of the lever 64, at a location near to and spaced rearwardly from the stop pin 86, as shown in FIGURE 3. The punch 90 has upstanding laterally spaced arms 108, on its top 102, which are rearwardly offset toward and located at the rear end of the block 92. The arms 108 are located at opposite sides of the lever 64, and are pivoted, intermediate their ends, on the pivot pin 88.

episeee which 'is substantially smaller than and is blocked diametrically opposed to a relatively large pouring hole in the can top, produced by the Vlarge punch 90.

In accordance with the height of a can C to be perforated, the lever 64 is adj=usted by placing its pivot pin 74, in either the upper recess notch 44 or the lower recess notch 46, whereas, the lever being released to be moved to its elevated position, by the spring 78, downward pressure upon the lever produces punching of a can top.

For supporting minimum height and intermediate height cans upon the base plate 10, with their top beads 28 engaged in the standard side wall notches 26, as shown in FGURES 1 and 3, wherein the tops of the cans are located to be punched by the punches 90 and 110, on

, depression of the lever 64, a shim block 114 is provided.

In use and operation, as shown in FIGURE 3, va minimum height can can be positioned for punching by placing the same upon the shim block 114, against the positioning pins 124, in operative position onthe base plate 10, .and with the pivot pin 74 of the lever 64 engaged vin the lower recess notch 46. As shown in FIGURE l, a medium height can can be positioned for punching Iby placing the same on the shim block 114, With the lever pivot pin 74 engaged in the upper recess notch 46. For punching maximum height cans,`the shim block 114 is Vhinged out of the way, as indicated in FIGURE 2, and the can rested directly upon the base plate 10, against its positioning pins 122, with the lever pivot pin 74 located in an appropriate one of the recess notches 44, 46.

Although there has been shown and described herein a preferred form of the invention,it is to be understood that the inventon is not necessarily confined thereto, and that any change or changes in the structure of and in the relative arrangements of components thereof are contemplated .as being within the scope of the invention as defined by the claims appended hereto.

What is ciaixned is:

1. A can top perforator comprising a horizontal base plate, a standard fixed to and rising from the base plate, said standard vertically spaced downwardly facing notches, a lever having an end portion bearing freely against the standard, said end portion having a transverse lpivot pin adapted to be selectively engaged in said notches, a stop cross pin on Vthe lever adjacent to said end portion vadapted to bear against the standard in opposition to the pivot pin engaged in a notch, spring means on the standard and Vconnected to said end portion of the lever and biasing the lever upwardly so as to maintain thepivot pin in a selected notch, and longitudinally spaced punches extending downwardly from the lever at one side of the standard for punching the top of a can resting upon the base.

2. A can top perforator comprising a horizontal base plate,,a standard fixed to and rising from the 'case plate, said standard vertically spaced downwardly facing notches, 'a lever having an end vportion bearing freely againstthe standard, saidendportion having a transverse pivot pin adapted to be selectively engaged in said notches, a stop cross pin 'on the lever adjacent to said end portion adapted to bear against the standard in opposition to the Pivot pin nsaged in a notch, Spring means 011 the Standard and connected to said end portion of the lever and biasing the lever upwardly so as to maintain the pivot pin in a selected notch, and longitudinally spaced punches eX- tending downwardly from the lever at one side of the standard for punching the top of a lcan resting upon the base, one of said punches being spaced from the standard and being fixed on the lever, the other punch being located close to the standard at said `one side thereof, and being freely pivoted on the lever. i i

3. A can top per-forator comprising a horizontal base plate, a standard fixed to and sing from the base plate, said standard vertically spaced downwardly facing notches, a lever having tan end portion bean'ng freely against the standard, said end portion having a tr-ansyerse pivot pin adapted to be selectively engaged in said notches, a stop cross pin on the lever adjacent to said end portion adapted to bear against the standard in oppesition to the pivot pin engaged in 'a notch, spring means on the standard 'and connected to said end portion of the lever and biasing the lever upwardly so as to maintain the pivot pin in a selected notch, and longitudinally spaced punches extending downwardly from the lever at one side of the standard for punching the top ofa canV testing upon the base one of said punches being spaced from the `standard and being fixed on the Vlever the other punch being Vlocated close |to the standard at said `one side Vthereof and being freely pivoted on the lever said base having a pair of up- `'standing laterally spaced can-positioning pins lat said one side of the standard. i I

4. A can top perforatorcomprising a jhorzontal base plate, ap standard fixed to and rising from the base plate, said standard vertically spaced downwardly facing notches, a lever having an end portion bearing freely against the standard, said end portion having a transverse pivot pin adapted to be selectively engaged in said notches, a stop cross pin on the lever adjacent to said end portion adapted to bear against the ,standard in opposition to theV pivot pin engaged in a notch,' spring means on the standard and connected to said end portion of the lever and biasing the lever upwardly ,so as to `maintain the pivot pin in a selected notch, and longitudinally spaced punches extending downwardly from the lever at one side of the standard for punching the top of a `can resting upon the base, one of said punches beingspaced from the standard and being fixed on the lever, the other punch being located close to the standard at said one side thereof, and being freely pivoted on the'lever, said base having a pair of upstanding laterally spaced can-positioning pins at said one side of the standard, and a shim block hinged on the base at a side edge thereof to swing between an inoperative position at one side of the base to an operative position on the base at said one side of the standard to provide support on the base for ashort can to be punched, said shim block having a pair of upstanding laterally spaced can-positioning pins.

5. A can top perforator comprising a horizontal base plate, a standard fixed to and rising from the base plate, said standard vertically ,spaced downwardly facing notches, a lever having an end portion bearing freely against the standard, said end portion having a transverse pivot pin adapted to be selectively engaged in said notches,

Va stop cross pin on the lever adjacent to said end portion adapted to bear against the standard in opposition to the pivot pin engaged in a notch, spring means on the standard and connected to said end portion of the lever and biasing the lever upwardly so as to maintain the pivot pin in a selected notch, and longitudinally spaced punches extending downwardly from the lever at one side of the standard for punching the top of a can resting upon the base, one of said punches being spaced from the standard and .being fixed on the lever, the other punch being located close to the standard at said one side thereof, and being .freely pivoted on the lever, said one punch comprising a U pin having a pointed lower end, and said other punch being snbstantially larger in cross section than said one punch.

6. A can top perforator comprising a horizontal base plate, a standard fixed to and rising from the base plate, said standard vertically spaced downwardly facing notches, a lever having an end portion bearing freely against the standard, said end portion having a transverse pivot pin adapted to be selectively engaged in said notches, a stop cross pin on the lever adjacent to said end portion adapted to bear against the standard in opposition to the pivot pin engaged in a notch, spring means on the standard and connected to said end portion of the lever and biasing the lever upwardly so as to maintain the pivot pin in a selected notch, and lonitudinally spaced punches extending downwardly from the lever at one side of the standard for punching the top of a can resting upon the base, one of said punches being spaced from the standard and being fixed on the lever, the other punch being located close to the standard at said one side thereof, and being freely pivoted on the lever, said one punch comprising a pin having a pointed lower end, and said other punch being substantially larger in cross section than said one punch, said other punch comprising a block having a top having a rear corner at its top and a cutting edge on its underside, upstanding spaced arms on the top of the block engaged with opposite sides of the lever, and a pivot pin extending through the lever and the block, the lower edge of the lever having a notch in which the Said rear corner of the block is adapted to engage.

7. A can top perforator comprising a horizontal base plate, an upstanding tubular standard fixed on the base, said standard having side walls, a front Wall, and a rear wall, said front wall having a Vertical opening spaced above the base plate, said rear wall having a Vertical opening spaced above the base plate, said front wall opening having a lower end spaced above the lower end of the rear wall opening, and an upper end, said rear wall opening extending between the side walls and exposing rear edges of the side walls, said rear edges being formed with vertically elongated recesses having rear edges spaced forwardly from the rear Wall, said recesses having upper ends formed with upper downwardly facing notches, rearward projections on the rear edges of the recesses below said upper notches, the lower ends of the projections being formed with lower downwardly facing notches, a lever having a rear end portion extending rearwardly through the front wall opening into the interior of the standard, said rear end portion havin7 a rearwardly extending ear at its lower corner carrying a transverse pivot pin, said pivot pin being adapted to be selectively engaged in the upper and lower notches, a stop cross pin extending across the lever on a level above said pivot pin for engaging the front surface of the front wall in an elevated position of the lever, a contractile spring within the standard and stretched between said rear end portion of the lever and a part of the standard spaced thereabove, a pivoted gravity positioned punch on and depending from the lever near the front wall of the standard, and a fixed punch extending downwardly from the lever and spaced forwardly from the pivoted punch.

No references cited. 

